Curtain rod



Patented Jan.. 17, 1950 Ledger D. "Ford and Frederick L.

stm", Sturgis,

Mich., `assignors` "to Kirsch Company, Sturgis, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 10, 194-6, :Serial No. 640,306

Claims. 1"(Cl. 2li-105.3)

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a curtain rod having a coinbined bracket engaging `tip and `.threading pilot which constitutes a permanent element of the rod which is eiective for the purpose and at` the same time is very economical.

Second, to provide a curtain rod structure having these advantages which isadapted for use with or readily engageable with different forms of brackets, for example, brackets adapted for supporting a plurality of curtain rods and brack ets adapted for supporting single curtain rods and engageable from the top of one form of bracket or from the end of another form.

Third, to provide a curtain rod structure having these advantages which is very easily manipulated in the assembling ofthe combined rod engaging tip and `.pilotmember and the assembling or engagement with the brackets.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

Astructure which-embodies the features of the" invention is clearly illustratedin the accompany--v ing drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary `plan view offcurtain rod assembly illustrating our invention as embodied in a multiple rod assembly.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partially insection on line `2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot element.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of an adaptation of our invention to another form of supportng bracket.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary .iront view of the struc- ;ure shown in Fig.` '5. I

Fig. is a perspective `view of the bracket of igs. 5 and 6.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated :omprises a tubular curtain rod l of oval for nonp :ircular section formed of sheet stock rolled or 'olded upon itself. The combined lbracket engagng tip and threading pilot designated generally y the numeral 2 comprises a convex head J3. of tperipheral shape corresponding"substantiallyto he shapeand dimensions of the rod; that Lis, vhen the rod is of oval section the head `is corespondingly of oval section.`

The rod tip member has neck members ll, f4 ex` ending from opposite edges thereof, these neck members being of a Width less than theflarger ,imension or greatestdlameterof the head and :lerg'inginto the convex or" round face of `the ead, theneck members having"`integral spring rms 5 extending from their inner ends. These rms are of convexedly curved section irictionally A bracket struck out to form the slot I5.

fitting within the rod, that is, they"are in frictional retaining engagement With the rod. The arms are inwardly offset from the neck members as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 providing inwardly `facing shoulders 5 which abut the end of i the rod, thus insuring the proper position of the bracket engaging tipmern'ber'relative to the rod.

It will be understood that each end of 'the rod is provided witha tip member although only one would be required for use `as a threading pilot. *The struc-ture is so economical, however, and its bracket engaging iunctonsso desirable, that it is advantageous to use the saine tip member at both ends of the rod.

'The tip members are adapted for engagement *withdiieren't types of brackets; in Figs. l and "2` for example we illustrate a bracket` 'l of considerable length having attaching ears or flanges 8 at its inner end. This bracket is of angular `section and is `positioned to provide 'an upstanding arm 9 and a horizontal arm il) at the bottom thereof. The upstandi'ng arm 9 is vertically slotted at lll, the slots being .spaced to provide upwardly projecting tongues l2 adapted to be received between the neck members 4, '4 of the tip. The slots are of such depth that the rod il rests on the bottom flange ITEI of the bracket. VThis relieves the tip ofundue stress or load 'when the rod is engaged with the bracket.

In the adaptation shown in Figs. 5, 6 and f'7 the bracket 'I3 is provided With an `attaching flange I4, the 'projecting arm portion of the bracket having a longitudinal slot l5 therein adapted to receive the .neck members of the tip when they are presented edgewise thereto as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case the entire load ofthe curtain i's carried by the tip.

To retain the curtain rod Within the bracket,

spring tongues or lingers IE are .provided which are formed from the portion of the arm of the The tongue or ngeris curved 'to embrace the curved head as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and thereby r`ele'asably retain the curtain rod inrengagemen-t with the bracket, the head of the tip engaging under the one with a spring or lsnap action. The

rounded or convexhead of the tip lserves as an effective ,pilot "for threading the rod through the hem of a curtain without injury to the fabric, the head deiiecting the curtain fabric from the end of the rod. The springable retaining 'fingers present a substantial frictional area for engagement withthe rod so that the tip members are effectively frictiona'lly retained therein, and this even though the rod and tip `members may be made `of comparatively light gauge stock. The

tip members are formed of iiat pieces of sheet stock folded and cupped centrally to provide the head which is concavo convex. Portions of the stock are cut away at opposite edges thereof to provide a neck member 4. The spring arms are' cross sectionally conformed to the curtain rod. While curtain rods vary somewhat in cross sectional shape and dimensions, the oval cross section substantially as illustrated is well known and thereof. We have not attempted to illustratevarious modifications and adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent iS:

1. The combination with a tubular curtain rod ci non-circular section, of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising an oval convex head, spaced neck members extending inwardly from the longer edges of the head, the width of the neck members being substantially less than the longer dimension of the head, and convexedly curved spring arms extending from the neck members and springably tting within the rod, the spring arms being inwardly oset relative to the neck members providing shoulders abutting the end of the rod, the peripheral dimension of the head substantially corresponding to that of the rod.

2. The combination with a tubular curtain rod of non-circular section, of a `combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising an oval convex head, spaced neck members extending inwardly from the longer edges oi the head, the width of the neck members being substantially less than the longer dimension of the head, and spring arms extending from the neck members and springably tting within the rod, the peripheral dimension of the head substantially corresponding to that of the rod.

3. The combination with a tubular curtain rod of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising a convex head, neck members extending from opposite edges of the head, the head projecting beyond the edges oi the neck members, and curved spring arms extending from the neck members and frictionally engaged within the rod, the spring arms being inwardly offset relative to the neck members providing shoulders abutting the ends of the rod, the peripheral dimension oi the head substantially corresponding to that of the rod.

4. The combination with a tubular curtain rod of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising a convex head, neck members extending from opposite edges of the head, the head projecting beyond the edges of the neck members, and spring arms extending from the neck members and frictionally engaged within the rod, the peripheral dimension of the head substantially corresponding to that of the rod.

5. The lcombination with a tubular curtain rod of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising a rounded head, spaced bracket engaging neck members extending from opposite edges of the head portion and having integral arms extending from their inner ends, said arms having frictional retaining en- 4 gagement within the rod, the rod engaging arms being inwardly offset relative to the neck portions providing shoulders abutting the ends of the rod, the peripheral dimension of the head substantially corresponding to that of the rod.

6. The combination with a tubular curtain rod of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising a rounded head, and spaced bracket engaging neck members extending from opposite edges of the head portion and having integral arms extending from their inner ends, said arms having frictional retaining engagement within the rod, the peripheral dimen- Vsion of the head substantially corresponding to that of the rod.

7. The combination with a curtain rod, of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising a curved head, and spaced bracket engaging neck members extending from opposite edges of the head, a part of the head projecting beyond the neck members and being adapted to overlap a side of a bracket having slots therein receiving the neck members, the neck members having integral spring arms extending therefrom frictionally engaged with the rod.

8. The combination with a curtain rod, of a combined bracket engaging tip and threading pilot comprising a curved head, and spaced bracket engaging neck members extending from opposite edges of the head, the neck members having integral spring arms extending therefrom frictionally engaged with the rod.

9. The combination with a bracket having an inturned flange on its lower edge and spaced slots in its upper edge providing an upwardly projecting tongue, of a curtain rod, and a bracket engaging tip having a threading pilot head. neck members extending from the head and spaced to receive said tongue on said bracket between them, said neck members having arms extending therefrom and retainingly engaged with the rod, the rod being supported by said bracket flange when the tip is in engagement with said tongue thereof.

10. The combination with a bracket having spaced slots in its upper edge providing an upwardly projecting tongue, of a curtain rod, and a bracket engaging tip having a threading pilot head, and neck members extending from the 'head and spaced to receive said tongue on said' bracket between them, said neck members having arms extending therefrom and retainingly engaged with the rod.

- LEDGER D. FORD.

FREDERICK L. STUTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 933,082 Lathrop Sept. 7, 1909 1,216,271 Behl Feb. 20, 1917 1,242,441 Hills Oct. 9, 1917 1,284,726 Losey Nov. 12, 1918 1,509,330 Wyatt Sept. 23, 1924 1,529,740 Henry Mar. 17, 1925 1,544,837y Hammers July 7, 1925 1,764,037 Brunner June 17, 1930 1,801,477 Ainsworth Apr. 21, 1931 2,237,406 Boye Apr. 8, 1941 

